Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Thirteen Hour Horrors
Chapter 8: 6 PM
6:03 pm
And the sun was gone.
The titans, slightly shaken by the noise and brief power short were still waiting in the living room.
Robin looked across the darkness trying to devise something, anything simple for now. The situation seemed so erratic that any long planning would be fruitless, whatever they were going to do had to have lots of room for change.
"Where do we start?" Robin whispered across the group.
The tower itself answered him.
A door, off to the side of the room creaked open. The suddenness of it made both Starfire and Beast Boy jump.
"I'm guessing we go that way." Cyborg whispered back, pointing to the now open door.
"It could be a trap." Robin warned.
"And they haven't trapped us already?" Raven monotoned earning curious look from Robin.
"Okay, but everyone stay together." Robin looked across his team as Cyborg handed a flashlight to Raven, Beast Boy and then to him.
Robin lead them to the door that was supposed to lead up to an excess parts storage, but knowing the way they had been ending up completely opposite places earlier, nothing was for sure.
Slowly, almost timidly they all entered, starting down the hallway toward the stairs. No one noticed the door silently closing behind them.
Raven guided the flashlight where she was walking. It's narrow beam bounced as she walked. She walked carefully not to pull any of her sore muscles, though she had meditated, her physical body was still in poor shape.
Her senses strained as it were to try and catch anything before it happened. So far, nothing had gone wrong.
They climbed the steps. To Starfire they seemed longer than normal, but then she had never been to this part of the tower. In her bored state she began counting each step. She used one through ten as Cyborg had once taught her, and used a finger for each ten she counted.
When she had run out of fingers she turned to ask Cyborg. "Cyborg, I have counted ten groups of ten stairs, please, is that a lot?"
Cyborg, who had been looking at his wrist suddenly looked up. "I don't think were going to end up in a storage room." He muttered looking up the stairs.
They had started curving to go in a spiral upward, no where in the tower had he ever built a spiral staircase.
Beast Boy was keeping up the end of their line. But he had long gotten bored with watching for something to happen. Instead he was figuring out the complete list of uses for a flashlight.
He had wanted to try flashlight tag, but the moment he shined it at anyone they glared back at him.
So he investigated. Occasionally they would pass a stand, or a rack filled with odds and ends. He'd quickly look through it before catching up with the team. They hadn't seemed to notice the stands, and he wasn't one to draw more attention to himself after those nasty glares.
Beast Boy twirled a small ring between his fingers, in his latest search the shiny object had caught his eye.
He watched Raven in front of him move to the side to avoid a rather large rack, but seemed not to even notice it.
Curious, he flashed the light to see what it held. His eyes landed on…umbrellas?
6:17
Robin climbed another step, it echoed and then there was a small touch of sound. It sounded sort of like a click.
He turned, his flashlight blaring. Something sharp burned into his shoulder. It was sharp, and instantly started burning.
Crying out, his fingers searched for the item. It was something like metal, already slippery in blood. He sunk to his knees to the ground.
It felt like a hot prod burning deep into the muscle of his shoulder. He clawed at it immediately, only distantly aware of others screaming as well. His gloved hands slipped, unable to pull it out in so much blood.
Without a second though he pulled off the glove, his fingers digging into his shoulder to grip the item.
Agonizing pain burned up to every nerve as he forced himself to pull it out. It came slowly, bringing a trail of blood with it. He had dropped his flashlight, but the light from someone lit up a long spike in his fingers.
But it sizzled at his skin and he immediately dropped it and slapped a hand over his shoulder. He could feel it throb with every heart beat.
His eyes, watery with pain glazed over the group. It random flashes of light he caught sight of them. Starfire was crying, loudly, Raven tended over her hip a bit of metal still jutted out. Blood stained her skirt crimson.
He could hear Beast Boy screaming somewhere, pain evident in his voice, there was no sign of Cyborg.
6:21
Beast Boy's eyes were wide. The scream that had emitted his mouth died, a kind of gurgling taking its place.
A shiny piece of metal was embedded into the bottom of his throat, it burned vindictively.
The pain was excruciating. His breathing was nearly non-existent as he choked, blood entering his lungs.
He had found an umbrella, curiously he had located the latch to open it.
There was a small click, and it sprung open. As it had, the sharp points at the end of the frame detached, shooting out.
One had buried itself detrimentally into his throat. Not only that, but he could hear the screams of two other titans. He had hurt them in his foolishness.
Tears dripped down his face as his breathing slowed.
Cyborg appeared at his side, taking the scene in. Beast Boy had slunk to the floor, the umbrella discarded.
Cyborg smacked him hard across the back, and Beast Boy nearly collapsed forward, his head reeling he coughed hard. Blood splattered the barely lit ground, but suddenly he could breathe better.
"Stay that way!" He ordered before bending closer to get a look at the spike. He frowned when his light flashed over it. Was there a chance of Beast Boy surviving?
He wouldn't think of things like that. Not now.
Carefully he grabbed it, hearing a mewling from the boy. In a sharp movement he jerked it out. Beast Boy gasped, half numb from agony but laid a hand over the opening to still the blood.
"Beast Boy, stay. I'll be right back." He patted the boy softly and Beast Boy gave a sort of gurgled coughing in confirmation.
Ensure that at least he wouldn't choke on his own blood, Cyborg turned to find the others.
6:25
Starfire sniffled looking at the blood on her hands. Raven had tried to seal it off the best she could with her power, and had reduced it to a large bruise and scab on her hip.
"I am so thankful!" Starfire muttered, her eyes still a bit teary.
Raven nodded looking over her handy work, the weaponry rolled across the floor not too far away. An evil radiated from it.
There was a sound, and she turned to see Cyborg, worry clear in his face.
"It's Beast Boy!" He hurried and grabbed Raven's arm. Whether she wanted to or not wasn't an option, he rushed her down the hall, the light bobbing.
When her eyes fell on him, the breath froze in her throat. He was hunched on the floor, a wide puddle of blood around his head. He didn't seem to be nodding.
"It was in his neck." Cyborg explained hunching over the boy. Raven followed suit looking at the puddle of blood. She wouldn't be able to heal him as well, she had used almost all of her healing on Starfire.
If only she had known…
"I can't do much for him." Raven's voice sounded timid, sad, emotion. Slowly she eased Beast Boy back to get a look at the wound.
He was trying to clutch at it reverently, but the blood still dripped down his chest.
"Oh Azar…" Raven was at a loss of words and felt a deep chasm of self hate for squandering her abilities before knowing if anyone in worse shape.
Delicately, she moved his hands away and placed her hands over the bloody hole, underneath her fingers it was warm, throbbing with every weakening heartbeat. She felt herself grow sick and shut her eyes to concentrate.
"I'll go get the others." Cyborg whispered and then was gone, his light leaving the two in darkness.
6:30
Cyborg pulled to a halt in front of a staggering Robin. Blood ran from a wound on his shoulder, his hands were clamped over it tightly.
Cyborg cursed, quickly moving to help him stand more securely.
"Wha-at happened?" Robin leaned heavily against the older boy, his limps sore and weak.
"I'm not sure, you, Starfire and Beast Boy got hit with something. Raven already healed Starfire, but Beast Boys in real danger."
Robin coughed loudly.
Cyborg sighed dejectedly and continued to move them in the direction of Starfire.
It was only a few more minutes before a green star bolt lit in the darkness. "Star?" Robin gasped.
"Robin? Cyborg?" She eased herself tenderly to her feet looking over the two.
Cyborg nodded solemnly before motioning her to follow them.
Starfire gave a frowning look at the blood covering Robin before following, dread had buried itself into her stomach.
6:34
Raven was trying. Her powers vibrated through the air as she concentrated on the boy.
She could hear the footsteps of the other titans, but dare not open her eyes.
Beast Boy was growing fainter, she had to scoot him against the wall to keep him from falling over in weakness.
"Stay with me." She ordered, trying to regulate her own nerves.
No sound came from Beast Boy in response, but the light pattering heart beat was still under her finger tips.
She could hear Robin grunt as he sat down, pain stained his voice, and she hoped he wasn't too hurt. She wouldn't have the energy to help him.
There was a small gasp from Starfire, as Cyborg sat her down. Tears lit her eyes once again at the light.
Raven was growing weaker, she had begun to sway dangerously on her knees, pouring her own healing abilities into the changeling to speed up his bodies natural healing.
Then there were strong hands on her shoulders, cool metal fingers held her up. She sighed lightly, giving in and pouring more blackness into Beast Boy.
It still wasn't much, and the hole was taking far too long to seal.
Drunkenly, she continued to speed up his natural healing. Her vision blitzed occasionally, but she worried none of her own safety…
6:37
Robin moved closer to Raven. He was ignoring the blistering pain in his joints, still in awe of the girl.
He couldn't help but admire her. Here she was trying to save them yet again, without her help half of them would be…
Robin couldn't think it, the very thought made him sick.
He watched her muscles relax, her arms slowly drift further and further down. She was tiring herself out as the changeling's skin re-knit itself up.
And finally, she sighed, her body going limp.
Cyborg carefully leaned her against himself and shifted to check Beast Boy.
Robin gave Raven a quick glance. Her eyes were shut, her breathing slow and barely there.
Beast Boy stirred, groaning lightly. The hole in the base of his neck was almost completely sealed, a small puncture wound was still present, but it had stopped bleeding. He immediately moved his hand to it, eyes still a bit glazed.
"You okay?" Cyborg asked watching his friend carefully.
Beast Boy shook his head, a bit side tracked.
And as the wall of memories crashed down on him, his hand began to tremble. "I-I'm so sorry!" He moaned and tried to get up.
Robin pushed him down with his able hand. "What?"
"T-there was an…umbrella." His voice was raspy and wavering. "I open-ned it and…"
"Where is it?" Robin demanded, already getting to his feet.
"Robin, you are too injured!" Starfire was beside him now looking worriedly over his wound, the blood had stopped, but it coated his fingers.
"It's nothing." He cringed and got himself up.
"Robin…" Cyborg's tone had a clear warning: don't do anything stupid.
But Robin wouldn't listen. He turned and grabbed a flashlight that had been discarded on the floor moving back to where the umbrella was said to be.
6:43
There was silence when he left. Starfire checked Beast Boy over to make sure he hadn't any complications.
Raven was still unconscious, laying slack against Cyborg.
Cyborg looked down at his arm almost fearfully.
8 percent
That was 5 percent gone in about forty-five minutes. He wouldn't last another two hours.
"Sorry, so sorry." Beast Boy kept mumbling, he kept looking around at nothing or shaking his head fearfully.
Cyborg was worried for him. He seemed to be in shock, it was a delicate and dangerous state.
Starfire kept conspicuously touching the spot on her hip until Cyborg had to ask.
"It is very itchy." She bit her lip, and looked back to Beast Boy. He was watching Raven and shaking his head mumbling. "Will he be okay?"
"I don't know anymore Star." Cyborg sighed and shifted when he heard footsteps.
Robin moved out of the dark, something clutched in one hand. He dropped it in the middle of the group.
Beast Boy let out a loud cry and went reeling back, muttering how sorry he was over and over again. Starfire looked closer at the object, curiously. She reached out a hand to touch it…
"Don't." Cyborg snapped looking at the worn umbrella. There were still a few metal tips that hadn't been dispelled.
"I think there's poison in the tips." Robin looked down, a stolid expression in place.
"I could try to test it." Cyborg carefully picked up the umbrella, weary of the tips. He placed it on the other side of him, where it was away from the others. "I'll need a blood sample Robin."
Robin nodded and moved closer, bending down so Cyborg could reach his shoulder.
6:47
Cyborg ran the search, comparing the blood sample to his poison and chemical database. It would use up his power quicker, but this was important.
Robin pressed back down on his shoulder where the blood had been drawn. It had stung so badly he had been forced to bite his tongue, a coppery taste of blood met his senses.
Starfire was carefully coaxing Beast Boy out of hiding. He had transformed into a small rodent and tried to burry himself in the wall.
Raven still laid in the same position, no one knew when she would come around again, and it would surely begin to present a problem.
6:55
The silence had stretched until the search concluded. The information he got back was coded.
Robin had gathered the flashlights, and moved the umbrella further away waiting for Cyborg to finish reading the data.
He was pretty sure that Cyborg would find it positive. The way it had burned in his hands…
The problem then was finding the antidote, if there were an antidote.
When Beast Boy had rejoined the group, Cyborg finally looked up from his scrolling research.
"It's positive."
Robin sighed, glancing over his arm, he was poisoned. "Antidote?"
Cyborg paused for a moment, and Robin drew his conclusion from that. He pressed his eyes closed tightly, this couldn't be happening to him.
"There's an antidote, but it has to be administered within forty minutes."
Robin opened his eyes, it hadn't been as bad as he had thought. "Well what is it?" He asked aggravated that Cyborg was still looking so crestfallen.
"Robin, you were attacked at about 6:20," Cyborg added, and lowered his eyes.
In the darkness, to the shock of everyone, there rang a beep.
It was seven o'clock, forty minutes after the venom had first been induced.
Sorry this is a day late. I had the most difficult time with the umbrella.
Happy Friday the 13th, let your luck not be as bad as the poor titans.
The last omens were…
Singing: Singing before breakfast is said to bring bad luck.
Knives: Crossing two table knives portends bad luck.
Plates: Breaking a plate, especially if it hasn't already been cracked signals very bad luck.
13: The Scandinavian's believed that the number 13 was unlucky due to the mythological 12 demigods being joined by a 13th, an evil one, who brought misfortune upon humans.
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:Bloody Fae: